Fr. John, a question came up in reference to Jesus being from the line of David. He was born in Bethlehem but Joseph was not his father. Doesn't lineage always refers to the desendants of the father?

Thanks and God bless.

Answer by Fr. John Echert on 10-30-2012:

As legal guardian, foster father, the lineage would have been accepted as through Joseph. Some Church Fathers believed that Mary was also of the line of David, and it was common to marry within the same tribal/family lines. Even if not, the lineage was through Joseph. By the way, someone will probably email me that modern Judaism traces through the mother, but that is modern Judaism.